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Highland Park 13 Years Old 2004 CS Connoisseurs Choice

Whisky Review

What they say

For more than 120 years Gordon & MacPhail has pursued a singular path to become the master of single malt Scotch whisky maturation.

Connoisseurs Choice

Passion for single malt Scotch whisky has been at the heart of our family business for four generations. This range is an ever-changing collection of unique perspectives on distilleries’ own bottlings, non-chill-filtered single cask and small batch expressions bottled at cask strength and exceptional one-offs.

For the malt whisky explorer, it promises a journey of discovery through different flavours, finishes, strengths and vintages.

My tasting notes:

Nose: Floral and toffee initially, perhaps a little closed at first, or maybe my caution expecting spirit burn at this strength? Complex, orange oil and candied lemon peel, wood spices such as cinnamon and a hint of nutmeg, some tannins like new leather shoes, candyfloss, more fruit, but stone fruits like peach and apricot, heather honey, a baked or caramelised sweetness, I imagined an apricot and orange pie in shortcrust pastry fresh out of the oven, a little woody heather stems/sprigs too.

Overall

A flavour-packed expression from Gordon & MacPhail in their new Cask Strength Connoisseurs Choice range. I’d expect nothing less from a Highland Park matured in a first fill Sherry butt. The balance achieved is supreme, and the result highly drinkable even at 60% ABV. This expression was stuffed full of fresh and stewed fruits, the sherry influences lightly adding toffee, chocolate, tannin, leather and spices, and matched by sweetness, malt, and heathery peat and wood smoke.